A Pirate's Life For Me!
by La Petite Boutaille
Summary: Jack befriends and raises a little girl, but they are separated during the mutiny. Then fast forward 8 years! I'm kinda rewriting the movies...ha! Go me? RR please! The rating will probably change later on. I forget to spell check, be nice :
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates, that's Disney's job :(

Ok here's the story. I'm a bored English/History major who's far too lazy to check her grammar or historical facts. Ironic, huh? This is pretty much factually incorrect, but hey! Thats the fun in it all :)

"There it is, Captain. Port Nassau. The "Jewel of the Carribean. Will you be joining us, for old times sake?"

It was late at night, the lights of the port were burning brightly, and the Black Pearl was anchored outside the harbor with its newly appointed captain. Captain Jack Sparrow looked across the water at the sleepy port town and a small grin stretched across his face. He turned quickly and addressed his First Mate.

"Barbossa! Stay with the Pearl. I'm going ashore." He began to walk away, then paused and turned, "And please don't let the men get into the rum until I'm back. We don' want a repeat of _last time..."_ Sparrow's eyes narrowed and he nodded, daring the headstrong first mate to defy him. The men around him shuddered, no one wanted to get between the captain and his rum.

"I'll watch the ship. Go have your…fun, _Jack._" Barbossa said, his voice dripping with envy and disgust.

"_Captain, Captain_ Sparrow, if you please, mate." Jack rolled his eyes and popped his hat onto his head. He turned to the men going ashore: "Gentlemen! You don' need some fancy speech from me. Go do what you do best." He flashed his gold toothed grin as the men cheered and boarded their rowboats. Barbossa glared at the captain, anger still flowing through his veins.

It was common knowledge amongst the crew that the two pirates had been at each other's throats for years, desperately fighting to prove one was a superior sailor and pirate than the other. Captain Johnson, the former and now retired captain of the Pearl, appointed Jack as his successor, which seemed to put an end to the battle. Barbossa, appointed by Jack to be first mate, was fiercely jealous, yet he took the title and sat aside as Jack took control of the magnificent ship. No one knew of his plans for revenge.

Christine, the seven year old daughter of Admiral Phillip Richards, awoke to the sound of cannon fire. Her green eyes were wide with fear, hoping she had merely dreamed the awful sound. Another shot rang out, and there were distant screams. No, this was no nightmare. She leapt from her bed and ran to the window. Scanning the sea, she make out a dark shape, barely visible under the new moon. As she studied the ship further, she realized it was a ship; a black ship with black sails. Her eyes widened as she whispered to herself, "_pirates…_"

Her father was not around; he was out at sea, as he always was. Christine's mother passed away in childbirth. She was completely alone, aside from the household staff and her strict governess, Miss Carter. This was no way for a little girl to live, constantly alone and fearing the death of her father and the wrath of her governess. Gazing out the window, she noticed the staff fleeing the house from the side doors.

"They…they forgot about me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and she sunk to the floor.

"Bootstrap! Who lives up on that hill?" Jack was looking up at the Admiral's mansion. " A house like that deserves a visit from us, wouldn't you agree?"

"Aye, Captain. I hear that is the home of Admiral Richards."

"Admiral Richards…that does seem to ring a bell," a puzzled Jack thought for a moment. "Ah, I remember now. Isn't he that creatin that has been chasing us all over the Carribean but clearly isn't intelligent or quick enough to keep up? I think we should drop by."

Laughing, the two men ran up the path to the wall surrounding the house, pistols drawn. Bill Turner, known by his shipmates as Bootstrap, shot the lock off the gate and pushed the gate open. They approached the house, finding the front door to be unlocked, the result of a fleeing maid. Chuckling, Jack pushed open the heavy door and the pirates entered the house.

Christine heard the door open downstairs and men's voices. She cautiously opened her bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway, heading towards the stairs. These had to be pirates from the black ship. She crept to the banister and peered through the iron bars. One man was rather handsome with long, black hair, tied back, with brown eyes and was clothed in black. The other man had dreadlocks and beads woven into his hair. Wrapped around his head was a bright red bandana. He was swaggering slightly and slurring his words, which Christine could not hear. The other man seemed more…normal. She sat back on her heels and the floorboard beneath her creaked. The two men's heads shot up and they aimed both their pistols at the little girl. She did not flinch. Instead, she asked, "Who are you?"

"Me, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. This is my commerade Bootstrap. And who might you be, my miniature friend?"

"Christine Richards. Are you pirates?"

Jack laughed and drew himself up to full height. "We are only the most feared piarates in the seas, sailors upon the famous Black Pearl! What do you think o' that, little one?"

"Oh," replied Christine, "Will you take me with you?"

COOL! I think its a good start! Let me know what you think :)


	2. And the Adventure Begins

Disclaimer: PiratesDisney's, not mine

"Will you take me with you?"

Bootsrap barked with laughter as Jack stood at the bottom of the stairs, completely dumbstruck. "We're _pirates_," Jack said, slowly making his way up the  
stairs, "Pirates that your father happens to be hunting down with the help of the supreme, unyielding, all powerful Royal Navy," the captain overdramatically placed his hand on his head and closed his eyes, as though he was about to swoon. "Is that really a place for a girl to be?" These last words of his were spoken quickly and slurred. He opened one eye and looked at the girl at the top of the stairs.

"I wont get in the way, sir. I have no family, no friends. I would be so grateful to have some purpose…"

At that moment, the cannons on the Pearl shot off again, signaling that the sun was going to come up soon and all members should get back to the ship. "And that is our signal to leave. Bootstrap? I believe our departure is imminent."

"Aye, Captain," Bootstrap turned and looked up at the girl, still looking down from between the bars. "Are you sure she shouldn't come? I have a good feeling about this lass…"

"Nope! On our way! Lets go! Farewell, little one! Give our love to your fath…" He was cut off by Christine running down the stairs and, with a flying leap, jumping on his back.

"Don't leave without me! Pleasepleasepleaseplea…"

"FINE," roared Jack, "jus' git off me back."

The trio ran at full speed towards the harbor, with Christine thrown over Bootstrap's back, they wanted to keep up the impression that she was being kidnapped. They had decided that if anything went wrong, there was no reason she should be punished for running off to find a better life.

As she was carried towards her freedom, Christine began to think about her father. Certainly he would come searching for her, bringing the force of the entire Royal Navy if necessary. She did not want anyone to get harmed in her selfish pursuit. She pushed the thought out of her mind as they reached the dock.

Bootstrap put her down gently. "Right," Jack exclaimed, "Here's the boat. Hello everyone! Christine, this is everyone. Everyone, this is Christine. No questions! Now, lets go!" They hopped in the small row boat with the five other pirates, each confused as to why their Captain was toddling around with a seven year old. Oh well, he always has been a bit…weird. He had to have a good reason, right?

"Captain," Mister Gibbs, a young man new to the ways of pirating, spoke up, "I hear its bad luck to bring a woman on board. "Tis not their place to be on a ship. She would just get in the way."

"Nonsense," Jack exclaimed, "Look, she's travel sized for your convinience. If she misbehaves, we'll just stick her in a barrel until she learns her lesson. Now no one is to question my decision to bring our addition to the crew or I shall do something very irrational."

"Aye, "mumbled the crew, each one wondering what Barbossa would think.

This is a little short, I know. It looked longer on Word...


	3. Mutiny on the Pearl

Disclaimer: I own Christine and no one else :(

The sun had sunk below the horizon and the moonlight danced upon the dark Caribbean waters. Christine leaned over the side, staring at the water. She was thinking about the night that she joined the crew all those years ago. At the tender age of seven, she left the only home she knew and became a female pirate among men, though she had been dressing in boy's clothes for so long that most of them had probably forgotten she was female. When she was brought upon the ship, the first mate, a terrifying looking man named Barbossa, was furious at Jack, demanding to know why he had brought a child on board a pirate ship. Jack replied coolly, as he always did when, and said it seemed like a good idea at the time and that since she was there, why not put her to work? She later learned that the two had been rivals for years, and pretty much everything Jack did annoyed Barbossa. She figured his actions were intentional.

Christine pulled herself up and strolled around the deck. Most of the men were eerily quiet, occasionally glancing up, meeting her eye, then looking back down quickly to continue their work. Jack said it was the lack of "real pirating" that was putting them in a bad mood. The Pearl was currently on a quest for a great treasure, the Fountain of Youth, whose location was lost many, many years ago. They had been pursuing this mythical fountain for over 7 months now, and the crew was getting restless. No one wanted to chase a myth when there were merchant ships carrying all sorts of goods, just waiting to be plundered. The only person who seemed oblivious to the strange behavior aboard the Pearl was the captain himself. There were whispers of Barbossa trying to turn the men against Jack, but she couldn't believe that this would ever happen. Scatterbrained as he may be, Jack was a great leader and a good captain and his men would never leave him.

About an hour later, Christine was getting ready to head to her cot in Jack's cabin when she heard the crack of a gunshot from below the deck. Startled, she ran down the stairs to see what was going on. The crew was gathered around Barbossa, who was standing at Jack's door. The gunshot was the sound of the lock being shot off the door.

"Oh, Jack," Barbossa said calmly, "You best get out here. Myself and the men wish to speak with you."

The door creaked open slightly, and Jack peered out. "That's _Captain_ Jack to you. What is it you fine gentlemen require?"

A grin spread across Barbossa's face. "I'm afraid that that title will no longer belong to you, Jack. You see, the men, myself included, believe that you are not serving our best interests by refusing to do any actual pirating. Instead, you are bringing this entire ship down with your search for an old legend. We all agree that your time as captain has come to an end."

"Not everyone agrees with you, Barbossa. Some of us remain loyal." Bill Turner and Gibbs stepped out of the crowd and stood next to their captain.

"I am too," Christine yelled as she shoved her way to the front of the crowd. "I wont leave the _true_ captain of this ship." She drew herself up to her full height, a strapping five feet, and stood next the loyal ones.

Jack grinned his tooty grin, "See? At least someone likes me."

Barbossa looked at the three loyal to the captain, then to the large crowd behind him. "Well, it would appear that more of the men like me. Therefore," he turned to his crew, "Men, you know what to do. Take them to the brig. This ship is now under my command. Oh, and Jack," Barbossa plucked Jack's hat from his head, "I'll be taking this."

Barbossa laughed maniacally as the prisoners were bound and walked down to the brig. Pintel and Ragetti were among the men escorting them. "You know we like you, Capta…I mean, Jack. But times are a changin' and we need to get back to bein' pirates. We can' sail 'round forever chasin' our tails," Ragetti was trying to explain his disloyalty.

"Yeah," added Pintel, "Besides, you and Barbossa have known eachother for years, what's the worst he can do to ye? Maroon you on a tiny abandoned island with no food or water and hope that the thirst, hunger, and lack of human contact will kill ye?" Jack glared. "Oh, then I suppose that's pretty bad, eh?" The pair howled with laughter as they slammed the door of the cell and left the prisoners in the dark.

The four pirates sat in silence. Jack looked completely lost and in despair. Christine stood up, walked over, and sat next to him. "He finally did it," Jack murmured, "He took my ship, my beautiful ship. The only life I have ever known has been aboard the Black Pearl, and now it's gone."

"Jack," Christine put her hand on his shoulder, "This isn't your fault. You're a good man, you've just hit a bit of a….a rough patch. The crew couldn't understand your need to find this fountain. If you say it exists, then I'll believe you. You'll pull through in the end, with or without them." Jack didn't respond, but was obviously listening. She continued, "You've rescued me from a life that I was unsuited for. Being groomed and then sold off to the highest paying man as a wife was no way for me to live, but you saved me. In a sense, I owe you my life. Therefore, I am going to repay my debt to you now and figure out some way to save your ship." He was still unresponsive, therefore Christine decided that action needed to be taken. "Barbossa is just a jealous cretin who needs to live out his revenge fantasies. You'll have your ship back soon, but first, we need to figure out some way to get out of here."

Jack looked at her, raised an eyebrow, and said "that's quite an impressive speech for a thirteen year old. But you're right. Mister Gibbs, Bootstrap, any ideas?"

Yay!!! I tried to make this a longer chapter :) Reviews make the world go round, and when I get one, I do a happy dance so make sure you leave me something!


	4. Jack's Fate

Disclaimer: Still down own any POTC characters. When I do, I'll SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD!!! MWAR HAR HAR!

Hokay, so two things before we start this next lovely chapter:

Thing 1) You people who review make me feel warm and fuzzy inside!!! Thanks for all the feedback!

Thing 2) I'm afflicted with this Block of the Writer's here. Wanna help me out? Let me know what you think should happen! I'm totally open to ideas :)

OK HERE WE GO!

Two days past, and the prisoners did not see a single crew member. On the morning of the third day, they awoke to the sound of the anchor dropping. Christine's eyes widened with fear, knowing their fate was near. Though she had to wonder, why should they be punished for standing up for what they believed in, supporting their captain, and expressing loyalty, why should they be punished? How could such a small thing cause men to turn onto the man they look up to? The answer, she surmised, was greed. Greed, in her opinion, was the root of all problems, and they were feeling its effects to their harshest degree.

Her fear must have been quite noticeable, for Bootstrap sat next to her, put a hand on her shoulder, and began to speak. "I know it's scary to nerve-wracking to wait these things out, but we'll get through this. Remember, we have a plan. We'll get out of this, all of us." This made her feel better, but then again, Bootstrap was always good at making her feel better. He had a great paternal instinct. She wasn't surprised at this; there were rumors that he had a child of his own out there somewhere.

A handful of crew members descended the stairs and unlocked the door to the small cell. The prisioners were roughly led out by the pirates and brought before Barbossa, who's tall, weathered form was set off by the rising sun behind him. Christina looked around and saw a tiny island with white sand and spotted with a few breezy palm trees. Her stomach contracted when she realized this must be their destination; a tiny island far from civilization with no supplies. She did not allow her distress to show on her face; she kept her muscles relaxed and her posture straight.

"Well, Jack, what do ye think of yer new home? It's a bit quiet, but I'm sure you'll get used to it, eventually. And unfortunetly, according to the code, I am required to give you this." He held out a single pistol, then realized that the former captain's hands were still tied, rolled his eyes, and shoved the pistol in Jack's belt. "A single shot is loaded in that pistol. A single shot for you to take mercy on yourself and kill yerself before the hunger and thirst does." He flashed his black toothed grin. "Enjoy yerself." With this last sentence, he approached Jack, who was standing next to the side of the ship, and shoved him over the side. As Jack fell with a giant _SPLASH,_ Barbossa looked over the side. "Ah," he said, "Forgot to untie his wrists. Oh well."

Christine yelled and broke free from her captors and ran to the side, desparately searching the emerald green waters for her friend. She saw nothing, not even the bubbles of air escaping Jack's lungs. Suddenly, Jack broke the surface, hands miraculously untied, pistol in hand. "Thanks for the gun, mate, but this shot won't be for me. If the bloody powder was dry, I'd shoot you right here. Unfortunetly, that's not the case, so expect me to be back for me ship. Take good care of it!" With that, he dove back into the water like a bizarre-looking dolphin and did not resurface until he was halfway to the island.

Barbossa stormed away from the side furiously. It was obvious that Jack, even when facing immenent death, still managed to get on Barbossa's nerves. Barbossa stopped in front of the three loyal ones. "I'll figure out what to do with you lot later. Take them back to the brig." And for the last time, the three were shuffled back below the deck.

Hokay so I'm too lazy for spellcheck. I gotta get better at this...

Reviews and ideas are SO welcome!


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